What Causes Autism? New 2016 Research Flags Genes That Could Contribute To Spectrum …

What Causes Autism? New 2016 Research Flags Genes That Could Contribute To Spectrum …

Now that we’ve finally established that autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is not caused by vaccinations, it’s time to uncover its real origins inside our DNA. And thanks to a first-of-its-kind machine-learning program from Princeton University and the Simons Foundation in New York City, scientists have a “highly enriched” gene pool that helps them better pin down the 400-1,000 genes that have already been identified as risk factors for the disorder. To gather the impressive pool of genes, scientists conducted an in-depth analysis of the human genome, starting with a functional brain network they constructed a little more than a year ago. This helped depict how genes work together in the brain’s molecular circuits. The team also used data from previous experiments that focused on how genes work throughout the whole body. Taken together, scientists could better see the genes that are…